Iran hits back: Senior Bahraini diplomat ordered to leave

Iran has ordered a top Bahraini diplomat to leave the Islamic Republic after declaring him persona non grata, amid baseless allegations made by the Manama regime against Tehran.

In a statement on Friday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry gave the second highest ranking diplomat at the Bahraini embassy in Tehran, Bassam Dalhan al-Dosari, 72 hours to leave Iran.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry dismissed Bahrain’s unfounded allegations that Tehran is interfering in the internal affairs of the kingdom of Bahrain.

Earlier, Manama had accused Tehran of forming and arming groups opposed to the Al Khalifa regime.

In a statement on Thursday, the Bahraini Foreign Ministry recalled its ambassador to Iran and ordered the Islamic Republic’s charge d’affaires in Manama to leave the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom within 72 hours.

The Bahraini Foreign Ministry said it asked the ambassador, Rashid Saad al-Dosari, to return, and declared the Iranian diplomat, Mohammad Reza Babaei, persona non grata and ordered him to depart.

The decision was taken a day after Bahraini officials claimed that they had arrested a number of people over allegations that they had links with Iran and Iraq for ‘terrorist activities.’

A Bahraini Interior Ministry statement said the Al Khalifa regime forces had also uncovered a large stash of weapons at a house in the village of Nuwaidrat, located about 10 kilometers (six miles) south of the capital, Manama.

The cache purportedly included a tonne and a half of powerful explosive materials, automatic rifles, pistols and hand grenades.

A Bahraini protestor sits flashing the sign of victory during clashes with police on May 23, 2015 in the village of Jidhafs, west of the capital, Manama. (AFP)

This is not the first time the Al Khalifa regime has sought to implicate Iran over the ongoing instability in Bahrain.

Iran has repeatedly dismissed the accusations, saying the blame game Bahrain is playing is aimed at covering up the Arab country’s internal problems.

The Islamic Republic has urged the Bahraini government to stop pursuing a security approach toward the tensions in the country and solve its problems through dialog.

Since early 2011, anti-regime protesters in Bahrain have held numerous demonstrations on the streets of the country, calling for the Al Khalifa family to relinquish power.

Scores of people have been killed and hundreds more injured and arrested in the ongoing crackdown on peaceful demonstrations.